Cardiff 2 - 1 Saints - Post Match Reaction

[Professor]

Just got back, I think the word to sum up our performance would be sloppy. Lots of missed passes, bad touches, poor position and shoddy finishing cost us the game........................................

............................................................................

The one positive to come out of this game for me is De Ridder, class performance in an awful team showing, he HAS to start on Saturday.

Many thanks for a very complete witness statement - what we heard on the radio wasn't great but this underlines that some players were just not playing at the level needed to compete at the top of this league. Adkins hyas been talking about hard work on the training ground and of course that's good, but there must be limit to how much extra you can get from players who may already be at the peak of their abilty. When that happens you have to ask if its not the training but the quality and the scvoring by Benj raises some very hard questions about some players who are regulars in the starting line-up.

[Benj]

Many thanks for a very complete witness statement - what we heard on the radio wasn't great but this underlines that some players were just not playing at the level needed to compete at the top of this league. Adkins hyas been talking about hard work on the training ground and of course that's good, but there must be limit to how much extra you can get from players who may already be at the peak of their abilty. When that happens you have to ask if its not the training but the quality and the scvoring by Benj raises some very hard questions about some players who are regulars in the starting line-up.

Steady on, it was a poor performance but I still firmly believe we have a side capable of mounting a promotion challenge. Could do without people writing us off after our first really poor performance of the season.

[1976_Child]

An utter disgrace by all.

 

NA out.

Lowe in.

we should never have got rid of C.B. Fry. It all went down hill from then.

 

Just who the flying fek does Cortese think he is, exactly? Waste of space only in it for his own glory and couldn't give a sh!t about the club. That is why we lost.

[1976_Child]

Steady on, it was a poor performance but I still firmly believe we have a side capable of mounting a promotion challenge. Could do without people writing us off after our first really poor performance of the season.

 

I could do with mounting this 'promotion challenge' :

 

[welshsaint92]

Just got back after a few beers in Cardiff, although we were pretty sloppy tonight we could have easily taken a point with the chances we had.

 

We struggled with the final ball tonight. Lallana had a poor game and IMO it showed how much we rely on him to break teams down. Other than Frazer, who IMO was Saints MOTM, nobody looked like they could beat a man. Guly as an attacking threat was average at best although he did do some good tracking back to help Frazer out. We lacked a spark tonight until De Ridder came on . He got us going. IMO he looked quality, buzzing around Lambert, dropping short , running in behind , beating his man. He also showed good strength, holding of Gerrard and Hudson to hold the ball up. For me he's nailed on to start up top with Lambert v Watford. Dissapointing result but the fact that we were far from our best and created numerous chances is very encouraging.

[1976_Child]

Just got back after a few beers in Cardiff, although we were pretty sloppy tonight we could have easily taken a point with the chances we had.

 

We struggled with the final ball tonight. Lallana had a poor game and IMO it showed how much we rely on him to break teams down. Other than Frazer, who IMO was Saints MOTM, nobody looked like they could beat a man. Guly as an attacking threat was average at best although he did do some good tracking back to help Frazer out. We lacked a spark tonight until De Ridder came on . He got us going. IMO he looked quality, buzzing around Lambert, dropping short , running in behind , beating his man. He also showed good strength, holding of Gerrard and Hudson to hold the ball up. For me he's nailed on to start up top with Lambert v Watford. Dissapointing result but the fact that we were far from our best and created numerous chances is very encouraging.

 

Yup. That really came over on the radio broadcast. The whole first half I will swear his name was not mentioned once. The second half maybe twice or thrice. They obviously marked his dance card. We got to know what to do when the opposition do that - when they smother a key player....

[dune]

LOL at Alpine's mention! "Shout out to misery Alpine Saint"

 

ha ha, Alpine is a legend.

[austsaint]

Just listened to Nigel's post-game interview and it underlines what a good Manager he is. No sulking or defensiveness towards the interviewer - no endless excuses and blame - just a fair assessment of missed chances and the concession of two soft goals. Being able to respond like that so soon after the disappointment of a loss says a lot about the man. Just one thing though, does anyone believe him when he says he doesn't look at the league table?

[alpine_saint]

Should we be surprised this had saints losing written all over it

 

Top of the table Chance to go 3pts clear..................Check

All our nearest rivals screwed up last night................Check

Cardiff have a major injury crisis..............................Check

Saints fans starting to feel confident.........................Check

 

Yep we were going to lose this one.

 

 

Yep, some things never change; promotion and money-in-the-bank or not, its still Saints...

[surrey1saint]

De Ridder was excellent tonight,was between him & Richardson for MOM for me.

[supersonic]

Just seen the goals on SSN. What the hell were we doing defensively??? They were both pathetic.

 

First goal - the ball should never have been left to bounce. (Morgan I think should have just headed it)

Second goal - this nice touch playing football from the back didn't work and got us into trouble (again) this time we got punished

[SNSUN]

Striker still needed imo but still amazed by our start. 10 points in the prediction league too.

[scotty]

lol @ the saints player interview heading;

 

 

"Nigel Adkins praised the way Saints kept possession during tonight's win over Cardiff, but felt more ruthless finishing was needed."

 

Perhaps I just dreamed that we lost then

[ant]

Heartened by the large smattering of positivity and general lack of toys thrown out of pram in this thread. Perhaps this really is a new era

 

Obviously defeat is going to sting at any time, but if you'd told me at the start of the season that we'd be top of the flipping league after 9 games played (W6 D1 L2) I think I'd have laughed my spleen up.

 

Onwards and upwards, blue line under it, look forward to the next game and so on and so on.

[scotty]

I could do with mounting this 'promotion challenge' :

 

 

Friend of yours?

[Raging Bull]

I could do with mounting this 'promotion challenge' :

 

 

Dude is that your mum???!!!

[Mowgli]

Sounds like Wittingham and Miller had great games. Lets get behind the lads for a return to winnnig ways (hopefull) on saturday.

Sounds to me like teams have started to suss us out (plan A and plan B) so we need a new system to overcome that. I'm sure NA will have that in mind. i do like the way that he sticking to the basics though - keep possession and be patient. Trouble is we are now being too patient and finding ourselves running out of time when we are on the ascendency.

[rooney]

No doubt the mistakes cost us the game but the commentary indicated there were a lot of misplaced passes with Fox, Guly and Connolly the main culprits. Dave Merrington indicated that we needed to get around the defence and we could not do this due to lack of pace until De Ridder came on. I think he deserves a start v Watford. NA sent out a message that nobody's place is guaranteed with the Dean Hammond switch for Schneiderlin and judging by the commentary, I would think that Fox's place is u nder scrutiny too.

[stthrobber]

Actually delighted we kept up our scoring in every game run!

 

Poor showing, happens sometimes just have to hope it's a one off and they learn from it. Well done to cardiff, seems they worked hard to stifle Lallana. Can't rely on him every game. Embarassed at the arrogance of some of our fans expecting to win in such a hard game, moaning like hell when we slip up. Maybe give Cardiff some credit too.

 

Defensive issues are there win, lose or draw. Banging on about them after a loss looks a little pathetic. Many seem bewilderingly inconsistent to take each game as it comes with the wins (rightly), but then make a loss out to mean far more. Negative generalisation perhaps, but more likely, as it's become known on here, bedwetting!

 

Sign of a good team is to bounce back, so let's hope we can play far better against Watford, who also aren't a bad side. Maybe time to realise any team can beat any other in this league and there'll be plenty of slip ups to come even if we did manage to finish top 6.

 

Cardiff worked hard, but hardly looked like scoring until we gifted them 2 goals. Kelvin was so far off his line for the first, and got stranded, and Jos' careless pass for the 2nd was the icing on the cake.

 

I expect us to lose games, but I expect us to lose because the other team are simply better, and not because we hand it to them on a plate.

 

De Ridder was great when he came on though, and I hope that last night's defeat is a wake up call for any player that got over confident. There were too many loose passes, too many little tricks that didn't come off when there was an easier option and too many sitters missed.

 

The plus points were that we try and play good football, maybe Cardiff stifled that last night because they did work hard, so whilst I'm not suicidal because we lost, I am disappointed in the manner that we lost

[conaero]

1 point from 6, the cracks are showing.

 

Ok, Cardiff away, tough game, but we seem to have lost that from the off, steam rolling them sort of attitude.

 

Draw at home at the weekend.

[The9]

Fox is alright in an attacking sense, but I'd say positionally at the back from when I've seen him he's very suspect and in away games that will cost you. Burnley fans said exactly the same about him, often goes walk about and isn't anywhere to be seen when they attack.

 

Hopefully the coaches can improve him, but I think Harding is a much better defensive full back.

 

The way Fox crosses I'd be inclined to play him left midfield with Lallana on the right. That was the Guly moaners get their wish (though he's been fine IMHO) and we don't impact on Lallana too much as he's half playing inside and comfortable on the right anyway. It would cut down on his right-footed curlers into the corner though. Either that or go with Lallana instead of Connolly who has looked tired in the last two aways.

 

De Ridder looked lively when he came on as expected, not keen on him up top where he's battling physical defenders, have some doubts about him defensively but at home it shouldn't matter so much, so here goes:

 

Davis

 

Richardson Fonte Hooiveld Harding

 

De Ridder Schneiderlin Cork Fox

 

Lallana

Lambert

 

Leaves a bench of : Bart, Martin, Guly, Hammond, Connolly.

 

My concern is that Fox doesn't like to pass it short and will need time to add this to his impressive crossing, and De Ridder isn't defensive enough. As far as Morgan / Hammond go, much of a muchness there based on the last couple of games.

[The9]

Cardiff worked hard, but hardly looked like scoring until we gifted them 2 goals. Kelvin was so far off his line for the first, and got stranded, and Jos' careless pass for the 2nd was the icing on the cake.

 

I expect us to lose games, but I expect us to lose because the other team are simply better, and not because we hand it to them on a plate.

 

De Ridder was great when he came on though, and I hope that last night's defeat is a wake up call for any player that got over confident. There were too many loose passes, too many little tricks that didn't come off when there was an easier option and too many sitters missed.

 

The plus points were that we try and play good football, maybe Cardiff stifled that last night because they did work hard, so whilst I'm not suicidal because we lost, I am disappointed in the manner that we lost

 

It was very similar to Burnley, we looked better last night though, Cardiff failed to stifle our movement and passing, Burnley totally had our number for the first 70 minutes.

[PokingFun]

No you don't.

 

Saints have a +9 goal difference from 9 games and are top of the league.

 

I agree with him, we do need to stop leaking goals, especially away from home as we cannot be expected to score 2 or more goals in every game. We have only kept one clean sheet this season and are very reliant on forwards putting it in the net. If we could add clean sheets to our game on a more regular basis then that would be a huge boost for our promotion push. Still, onwards and upwards starting with Watford on Saturday.

[alpine_saint]

I agree with him, we do need to stop leaking goals, especially away from home as we cannot be expected to score 2 or more goals in every game. We have only kept one clean sheet this season and are very reliant on forwards putting it in the net. If we could add clean sheets to our game on a more regular basis then that would be a huge boost for our promotion push. Still, onwards and upwards starting with Watford on Saturday.

 

Yes, and at the moment Connolly and Lambert are not firing on all cylinders. Our last two goals have come from midfield (where Lallana has also gone quiet) from players without a goal-scoring track record for us.

[Wes Tender]

So Cardiff played one striker up front because of injuries and one who had only scored one goal this season at that. Thank God they didn't have a fully fit team then. Typical that that striker managed to treble his goals so far at our expense, but I doubt that he will encounter such easy opportunities normally as those presented on a plate to him by our lack-lustre defence. Richardson was the only one who came out of it with any real credit. Jos seemed to have been having an immense game until his lapse, but Fox didn't have a good game and I long for Harding's return to replace him. If Fox plays ahead of him, fair enough, but Harding is clearly the better defender. Fonte gave away a series of free kicks on the edge of the box and thankfully we were not punished for it. Kelvin wasted lots of time with his clearances and then when we went behind twice, we rued the time lost. He was at fault for the first goal, either not coming out fast enough, or staying back enough to make it more difficult for Miller. The defence were carved open too easily for the secong goal. Would Miller have got past Jaidi for his first?

 

As for the other end of the pitch, we seem to be firing blanks too often in the past couple of matches, Lallana having missed about three free headers and even Lambert missing what would normally be gilt-edged chances. Those opportunities put away would have won those games, so disappointing that they both seem to have hit a patch where they are mis-firing. And Lambert's free kicks seem to have been handed over to Fox, whose results in that department have not impressed. Seems ages since Lambert put a free kick away.

 

We've done very well early in the season and are still top after this defeat. But one point out of six is not good, so we need to get back to winning ways on Saturday before confidence starts to suffer.

[Professor]

Steady on, it was a poor performance but I still firmly believe we have a side capable of mounting a promotion challenge. Could do without people writing us off after our first really poor performance of the season.

Its not a case of writing them off, but its too easy to put a gloss on poor performances and then wonder why the team is slipping down the table. As fans we have no power and minimal influence but if we are critical when it is deserved that may add just a little pressure on the club to improve the squad with more quality. To be promoted we haven't just got to beat the Barnsleys and the Burnleys but we have to be better than Boro, W.Ham, Leicester and Cardiff. If we are not, then our best position is 5th and that is not good enough for a team that we've been told will hit the ground running when it goes into the Prem.

[saintbob40]

We need the pace to get in behind a defence...i.e De Ridder. If we don't have this teams can play a high line and press our (admirable IMHO) attempts to play the ball out of defence. As well as Guly has played at times I think he may need to make way for De Ridder to counter the tactical response we have seen from Burnley and now Cardiff.

[Pancake]

Are we tired?

[um pahars]

Are we tired?

 

I posted that after the Forest game (think it was that game) but we seemed alright a week later against Brum. Maybe two away games in quick succession???

[The9]

Yes, and at the moment Connolly and Lambert are not firing on all cylinders. Our last two goals have come from midfield (where Lallana has also gone quiet) from players without a goal-scoring track record for us.

 

Lambert's missed 3 headers he'd usually have scored, Connolly has looked tired. It's a game of inches though, all three of Lambert's headers were astonishing misses. If they'd gone in we'd be 5 points better off, and we're not going to miss that many chances all of the time - though conversely we were scoring a relatively high proportion of our chances at the start of the season - as I said at the time, the main difference between us and Leeds was our finishing.

 

The main difference between Burnley and Cardiff from a Saints perspective was that Burnley made us look bad defensively by playing well, whilst Cardiff's goals both came from Saints mistakes, one of which - the failure to attack a bouncing ball from a keeper's kick - was inexplicable.

[The9]

I posted that after the Forest game (think it was that game) but we seemed alright a week later against Brum. Maybe two away games in quick succession???

 

Connolly definitely was, and we don't really have a fit replacement - though De Ridder gives us something similar plus a bit of pace, his game when up front is smothered by close defending BEFORE he gets control of the ball, as opposed to out wide when he gets it under control in space and can do what he likes with it afterwards.

[The9]

We need the pace to get in behind a defence...i.e De Ridder. If we don't have this teams can play a high line and press our (admirable IMHO) attempts to play the ball out of defence. As well as Guly has played at times I think he may need to make way for De Ridder to counter the tactical response we have seen from Burnley and now Cardiff.

 

We do need that pace, but I've been surprised how few teams have defended high up - that might be because we actually thrive on short passing in the middle and the tight game in the middle helps us get to that level. We actually seem to perform better when every challenge is tight as opposed to when we have the space to spread the ball wide, which often reduces our movement off the ball.

 

It didn't help at Burnley though !

Edited 29 September, 2011 by The9

[jasoneuelllfanclub]

no good having "superior" fitness if we are going to end up chasing games. it suggests to me that adkins is happy to contain the opposition for first 60 mins then rely on our advanced fitness levels to open teams up when playing away from home. sorry but we are not tight enough defensively to play that tactic especially with Fox in the side. Both the burnley and cardiff games we were not really at the races until we went behnind. it shouldnt take us coonceding a goal to spur us on.

 

i actually think davis was at fault for first goal, he was caught in nomansland and there was no need for it as miller wasnt exactly in clear goal scoring position.

[saintsdan]

Connolly definitely was, and we don't really have a fit replacement - though De Ridder gives us something similar plus a bit of pace, his game when up front is smothered by close defending BEFORE he gets control of the ball, as opposed to out wide when he gets it under control in space and can do what he likes with it afterwards.

 

Why not play De ridder wide and Guly up top as we did to good effect last year?

[OldNick]

we still need 3 quality players through the spine of the team. KD should never have been caught so far ut for the first, although the central defender should have sorted it before then. The 2nd!!!!

Too much is expected of Connolly, he started well this season but age and fitness will catch up on him. There is no pace up front and so the defences are comfortable. LB is not the answer and neither is Forte. We havent used the loan window and our good start is papering over the cracks.I hope we can get on track quickly, Watford are a team with pace and youth , take them lightly at our peril.

[forever a red and white]

Just got back.

 

Cardiff had their game plan and it worked well. In fact it reminded of me when Brighton came to St. Mary's last season. Closed us down very quickly, did their homework even if they weren't anything special. Kenny Miller has still got it.

 

Connolly looks tired. Lallana was markked out of the game. Cork was bullied out of the game. Fox was terrible on the ball and didn;t make a forward run. Richardson was fantastic and the complete opposite. Guly played out of his skin. Lambert unlucky, won;t get on his back the amount of times he has saved us. Dito with Davis despite poor distribution.

 

Hooiveld was excellent despite error.

 

One win in three away games, 1 point from last two, but lets not forget we're still top and started the season very well. We're not the best team in the league and still have a way to go but the signs are still positive. Just wasn't our day.

[saint1977]

We do need that pace, but I've been surprised how few teams have defended high up - that might be because we actually thrive on short passing in the middle and the tight game in the middle helps us get to that level. We actually seem to perform better when every challenge is tight as opposed to when we have the space to spread the ball wide, which often reduces our movement off the ball.

 

It didn't help at Burnley though !

 

Spot on. Burnley played very well on Saturday and it was only when Morgan and Chaplow came on that it neutralised Marvin Bartley's dominance a bit. Teams have worked us out, it was always going to happen with a newly promoted side and we have to now change our plans accordingly. Connolly is a good impact sub but this is probably the most games he's played in a row for 4 or 5 years so he's bound to reduce to Neil Shipperely pace. We need to start with De Ridder v Watford and have Forte on the bench to give tired back fours something to think about. Rickie is probably tired as well, he had to do a lot of running in wide areas at Burnley because Hammond and Guly were poor.

 

It's the first league game this season where we've been poor so let's give the team some credit but the mistakes HAVE to be recitifed before habit sets in: proper goal kicks please, centre halves to attack bouncing long balls, automatically at least one player with express pace starts and another on the bench (remember we have players fitting this description in the academy that could be impact subs), Harding over Fox when Harding is fit. If we do those things, we'll win lots more games and finish top 6 IMO which would be brilliant for the first season back in the NPC. Even top 10 would be very good IMO.

[The9]

Why not play De ridder wide and Guly up top as we did to good effect last year?

 

Could do, that still leaves Lallana left, 2 centre mids. I think Watford is a chance to give De Ridder a run - still have reservations about him defensively though, who have Watford got on the left - I only know that Sordell is about their only notable player at the moment and I haven't got a clue where he plays.

 

Re: Fox - he's an excellent crosser, but a short passing game never seems to occur to him and he is a little suspect going backwards. He is ideally suited to a left midfield role where his defensive knowledge will be a strength and is acceptable for a midfielder (as opposed to a winger-type like De Ridder), but we've got someone playing there already !

 

Re: Goal kicks - I have changed my location.

[SuperMikey]

Disappointing to lose, but Cardiff were a few games away from the Premier League last season, lest we forget. 3 points on Saturday to get us back on track!

[Professor]

The point about playing de Ridder is well made. If Oxlade-Chamberlain was still here he would be playing wide right, not Guly. SdR is a like-for-like replacement which makes more sense. Guly either covers and challenges DC for the second striker slot or as an impact sub in midfield.

 

But please NA/NC sort out the defence. Still can't work out why you bought another left back when we already had two and the money would have been better spent at CB. With one CB injured BEFORE you recruited Jos on loan and a second CB injured AFTER Jos arrived, why haven't you found a quality CB on loan to raise the standard of the back four because the two goals from the Cardiff loan striker show we were just too weak there.

[Leicestersaint]

My only concern about Saints is that we are conceding a tad too many goals - 12 so far this season i believe.

[Frank's cousin]

... I am surprised that some of you seem 'surprised' that a) this is a tough league, b) that sides would eventually work out that to stiffle us they need to target players like Adam, c) that sometimes, all players make mistakes, d) that sometimes the chances dont always go in and we are beaten by a sucker punch etc etc... We have a squad and a team that is greater than the sum of its parts and with luck, can be there or their abouts, but as we have seen this is not L1 - there ARE about 12 teams all capable of being top 6 come May... we siad that before the season started yet seem to have forgotten it after 9 games....

 

Yes we have let in 9, but as the saying goes, as long as we score more we will win and its sure as hell more enteratining being the Brazil of he NPC!

 

Come on, we got promoted and are doing well, yet you need to judge on realistic expectations, not ones that have us walking this league...

[shurlock]

Just got back after a night in Cardiff. Maybe its the exhaustion but I found our performance v.poor and quite concerning at times. We are going to come up against far better teams on the road than the Cardiff side that was patched up and put out last night. They were very workmanlike but had little invention or pace and were genuinely there for the taking. Their second goal summed it up - scored with effectively 10 men coming just as McNaughton was hobbling back onto the pitch (and substituted shortly thereafter).

 

Unlike those who want to see the ball hoofed up the pitch, I see the case for playing it out for the back but there's a time and place for it. Ideally, it should be used (i) in the 2nd half when the opposition is beginning to tire and unlikely to gamble or press as aggressively and (ii) when we have a foothold in the game and opposing midfielders are reluctant to commit knowing we can hurt and exploit the space. By contrast, doing it all the time robs it of the element of surprise while nothing is more likely to wake up a crowd and hit the panic buttons than being robbed in a dangerous area. I like building from the back but not when its executed as naively as we've recently done it.

 

Fine we strung some passes around but it was all in front of them - an emerging pattern to our play. Yes we opened up them up with some intricate passing -Morgan's chance being the main example. But we created far more by playing a bit direct and hitting Lambert (that's why BT would be such a good addition) and injecting a bit of pace through De Ridder who was willing to commit players, pushing them to defend deeper and opening up space for others. It speaks volumes that up to De Ridder's introduction, it was a defender, Richardson (who had another excellent game) who was only really doing that.

 

De Ridder should start Saturday - and I would like to see Chaplow play in midfield with Cork. After his sending off at Barnsley, he has looked excellent every time he has featured - both in terms of his movement and his pressing (so much of our good early play relied on hunting in packs when not in possession; but that aspect of our game is perhaps harder to sustain as the games pile up and we play away). Otherwise he could do a job on the right in the same way Marsden did on the left with Bridge. Chaplow and Richardson have a very good understanding.

 

Despite conceding two goals and the insistence to play from the back, I think our defence was pretty comfortable.

 

Finally, so much of our play depends on Lallana but has been well shackled in the last two games - he improved in the 2nd half at Burnley as he was given a more central role and even greater licence to roam. Arguably, he's easier to contain if he's drifting off the left than if genuinely playing in the hole and can go anywhere.

Edited 29 September, 2011 by shurlock

[del boy]

Such a shame because with their injuries it was a good time to play them, and a chance lost. Lets move on.

[um pahars]

... I am surprised that some of you seem 'surprised' that a) this is a tough league, b) that sides would eventually work out that to stiffle us they need to target players like Adam, c) that sometimes, all players make mistakes, d) that sometimes the chances dont always go in and we are beaten by a sucker punch etc etc... We have a squad and a team that is greater than the sum of its parts and with luck, can be there or their abouts, but as we have seen this is not L1 - there ARE about 12 teams all capable of being top 6 come May... we siad that before the season started yet seem to have forgotten it after 9 games....

 

Yes we have let in 9, but as the saying goes, as long as we score more we will win and its sure as hell more enteratining being the Brazil of he NPC!

 

Come on, we got promoted and are doing well, yet you need to judge on realistic expectations, not ones that have us walking this league...

 

I do hope you're not being critical of NC here Frank

[Chez]

contrary to what most others are saying on here I hope we continue to pass it short out from the back. Swansea did it to great effect last season and they got caught several times along the way, but in the long run it was worth it. They starved opponents of possession and they were able to dictate games and create the kind of opportunities in front of goal that they wanted, not hoped for. Saints fans are complaining about losing it in a dangerous area, but they are not seeing the benefits it brings. Some of you nou need to relax a bit and see that Morgan, Hammond and Cork are more than capable of taking the ball with their back to goal and get moves going. OK so every now and then we overdo it, but not much.

[scotty]

contrary to what most others are saying on here I hope we continue to pass it short out from the back. Swansea did it to great effect last season and they got caught several times along the way, but in the long run it was worth it. They starved opponents of possession and they were able to dictate games and create the kind of opportunities in front of goal that they wanted, not hoped for. Saints fans are complaining about losing it in a dangerous area, but they are not seeing the benefits it brings. Some of you nou need to relax a bit and see that Morgan, Hammond and Cork are more than capable of taking the ball with their back to goal and get moves going. OK so every now and then we overdo it, but not much.

 

Reading through this thread, and the post-match threads from the last couple of games, I think you're pretty much alone on this one. I can see the logic of the short ball out but at the moment it just isnt working, and its causing us all sorts of problems. I'd rather our midfield/forward line was scrapping for the ball in the oppo half than see our defence desperately trying to keep it around our area with only the keeper behind them. The last few games have shown pretty clearly that the oppos have sussed that as well.

[Legod Third Coming]

Reading through this thread, and the post-match threads from the last couple of games, I think you're pretty much alone on this one. I can see the logic of the short ball out but at the moment it just isnt working, and its causing us all sorts of problems. I'd rather our midfield/forward line was scrapping for the ball in the oppo half than see our defence desperately trying to keep it around our area with only the keeper behind them. The last few games have shown pretty clearly that the oppos have sussed that as well.

 

You missed the 4-1 demolition of Birmingham then?

 

There is one truism in football. If you pass the ball to a colleague in space the opposition cannot score.

[Legod Third Coming]

contrary to what most others are saying on here I hope we continue to pass it short out from the back. Swansea did it to great effect last season and they got caught several times along the way, but in the long run it was worth it. They starved opponents of possession and they were able to dictate games and create the kind of opportunities in front of goal that they wanted, not hoped for. Saints fans are complaining about losing it in a dangerous area, but they are not seeing the benefits it brings. Some of you nou need to relax a bit and see that Morgan, Hammond and Cork are more than capable of taking the ball with their back to goal and get moves going. OK so every now and then we overdo it, but not much.

 

I'm with you 100%. I'm bored of our impatient fans who scream at players when they are comfortable on the ball.

 

We pass the ball well.

 

Last night one player made a mistake playing the ball out - and held his hands up. He was under no pressure and just hit a poor pass.

 

Apaprently now we're top of the league we have to go back to the long ball. Tell you what, let's see if Pardew want his old job...

[Chez]

Reading through this thread, and the post-match threads from the last couple of games, I think you're pretty much alone on this one. I can see the logic of the short ball out but at the moment it just isnt working, and its causing us all sorts of problems. I'd rather our midfield/forward line was scrapping for the ball in the oppo half than see our defence desperately trying to keep it around our area with only the keeper behind them. The last few games have shown pretty clearly that the oppos have sussed that as well.

I've heard it all now. Supposedly knowledgeable Saints fans desperate for more hoof ball.I'll take the overpassing (and while we are at it my own opinion over anyone on here) every day of the week thank you. It's not as though Ricky is actually all that great at winning headers against centre backs. That's why he always pulls out wide onto the shoulder of smaller fullbacks. Connelly doesn't have height to win headers nor the pace to latch on to flick ons, so what's the point? I have no problem with the odd long ball, but only when its a 1 on 1 or 2 on 2 situation done early. If we resort to slowing the game down and smacking it hopefully down the middle it just tells me we have the wrong players that are unable to play the game how Nigel wants it and they will have to be replaced. From what I have seen so far they actually can do it and that's why we've had such a great start to the season.